Today BHF have announced that Dr Charmaine Griffiths will return as their new Chief Executive in February 2020. She is a former Executive Director of Strategy & Performance at the BHF.
Dr Griffiths is currently the Chief Operating Officer at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) where she has a range of strategic and operational responsibilities. The ICR is one of the world's most influential cancer research organisations, with over 1100 scientists and staff and an income of over £140 million.
She also holds leadership roles for several ambitious initiatives, including the London Cancer Hub and a pioneering new £75 million Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery set to open in Spring 2020.
Charmaine did her PhD and postdoctoral research in Neuroscience at University College London, alongside working in public engagement for the Wellcome Trust. Her subsequent career at the BHF included roles spanning communications, policy and assurance, as well as strategy.
Her non-executive experience includes roles at the Human Tissue Authority, the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Brain Research UK and the Cranfield Trust.
We recently published our new strategy, setting out our ambitions across research, patient care and policy influencing, which include stretching outcome goals for 2030.
Charmaine led the development of the previous BHF strategy, winning the Best Strategic Transformation category at the Chief Strategy Officer Awards 2014.
Charmaine said: "I'm delighted to be returning to the BHF. I'm passionate about the life saving work of the charity and it is a privilege to be re-joining the team of staff, volunteers and supporters at the outset of an exciting new strategy. I look forward to leading the BHF team to beat heartbreak from heart and circulatory diseases."
Dr Doug Gurr, Chair of BHF Trustees, said: "Charmaine's broad experience in science, health and operations is impressive and combines the perfect skillset to head our world-leading charity. I'm excited to welcome her back to the BHF."
Charmaine will join the BHF on 10 February 2020. She succeeds Simon Gillespie OBE, who will retire from the charity on 31 December 2019.